From School Library Journal Grade 4-7-The Kinetic City Super Crew is back, this time to help one of their own win the "Robot Roundup" competition. Marci is entering a small robot named Muggsy. The Blizzard Creek kids have created Crusher, a monster with mufflers for arms. When they send an intimidating video to Marci and her GEAR (Girl Engineers of Awesome Robots) after-school club, the Super Crew is called in to help the girls improve their robot. Traveling on their high-tech train, they go to the Amazon where their mentor, Dr. Alexander Graham Cracker, advises them. Then they zip on to the National Institute for Robotic Development for more information. The only suspense comes from the predictable unmasking of a saboteur on the GEAR team. The equally predictable ending demonstrates the lesson that size does not, in fact, matter. Characterization is minimal. The only distinguishable character is Dr. Cracker, who stands out because of his ridiculous name and stereotypical crazy-scientist demeanor. The plot is as familiar in its formula as a Saturday-morning cartoon. The attempt to teach science principles within the framework of a fantasy adventure causes the action to stumble to a complete halt. While this book may hold some appeal for the "Animorphs" (Scholastic) set, children interested in robotics would be better served by one of the many nonfiction titles available on the subject.Tim Wadham, Dallas Public Library, TXCopyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. Product Description Members of the Kinetic City Super Crew are recruited to help create a winning robot to compete in a contest against their rival school From the Back Cover "When you want the facts, we hit the tracks!" The Robot Roundup brings a whole new set of "wrenching" challenges to the Kinetic City Super Crew! Can Crew members Megan, Derek, Max, and PJ help their high school team create a winning Big Bad Metal Man? High-Tech Supersleuthing and good, old-fashioned brain power are programmed into this exciting Battle of the 'Bots!